Little genius us62/521,729

ABSTRACT

The Little Genius Puzzles Concept constitutes a revolutionary educational invention. It consists 4-dimensional, single-or multi-layered sensory motor puzzle models. They form a series of educational puzzles which are designed to teach persons, and particularly children, basic and more complex facts pertaining to any educational subject matter, e.g. reading skills, biology, science, history, geography, math, the concept of numbers and groups of numbers, etc., in a fun and very easy to use way. They form an incomparable educational aid both versatile and very valuable in the cognitive development of a learner, and especially in remedial teaching situations. It can readily be used in a one: one teacher or parent: learner/child situation, in urban or rural areas, where there is no supply of electricity. Because children love doing puzzles repetitively, the successful assimilation of the educational aspects is assured.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to puzzles which are designed to teach persons, and particularly children, various concepts including the concept of groups of numbers. However, the invention may be used for an infinite number of concepts whether scientific, geographical, historical, anatomical and many other fields.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide puzzles which are fun to solve or play by old or young and which are generally instructive.

THE INVENTION

According to the invention a puzzle includes a first item including at least one formation and one or more second items which comprise or include complemental formations, the first item having a predetermined or preselected connotation, and the second item having a relative or connective connotation.

In a preferred form of the invention the first item comprises a board with variously shaped depressions or other formations and the second items comprise or include complemental shapes. It will be appreciated that jig-saw pieces may comprise both first and second items.

In a preferred form of the invention the formations of the board are complemental only to formations associated with a predetermined or preselected items.

Thus, a series of depressions may be provided which are marked with numerals and the loose formations may have depictions of corresponding numbers of items (such as apples, bags, people etc).

In another form of the invention a large depression may be provided of a particular shape such as a human body and the depression is marked with the names of the various parts of the body, and these names are marked in suitable areas which, if possible, have some identity with the part of the body concerned—for example the shape of an ear, leg, arm or the like may be indicated. The loose parts are of the same shape and can thus only fit into the depression at the correct place. The child will then know that the leg, or shape of the leg, is called and is spelled LEG.

As far as numbers and mathematics are concerned the board may have a first line of numbers NIL to 9 and the loose pieces may have representations of grapes or apples or the like according to those numbers. The child will be able to count the number of grapes and observe that a particular loose shape will only fit into a depression marked with that number.

The following line may commence with the number 10 and this should correspond with any of ten loose pieces each with ten grapes enclosed in a circle.

The first depression marked 10 may also have a second depression of exactly the same shape as the loose piece corresponding to NIL. The following numeral 11 will have a first depression to accept a loose piece 10 and a second piece 1, and so on.

The next line will commence with the number 20 and this may be depicted on loose pieces by two groups of ten items. The concept of hundreds and thousands and millions may be similarly dealt with.

It will be appreciated that the board may take the form of a map, the Periodic Table of Elements, the succession of State Presidents, Kings and Queens, correct moves in chess and far too many other applications to be listed in this specification.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A number of embodiments of the invention are described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which are plan views of various forms of the invention.

In FIG. 1 a board 10 is shown which has three rows of numerals and depressions 12 associated with each numeral. It will be noted that the depressions in the first horizontal row are all of differing shapes and sizes and correspond to loose pieces 14 which have the correct number of grapes 16 or the like.

Thus, the NIL piece 14 has no grapes and only fits into the depression marked NIL., and the piece with five grapes only fits into the depression marked “5 FIVE”.

In the next line, the concept of 10 is introduced by joining ten individual grapes into a bunch of ten grapes and a common size and shape of depression is common to the entire line. In addition, the depressions correspond to the first line are repeated so that the puzzler will be able to fit in a loose piece depicting ten grapes and then a second loose piece depicting three so that the numeral 13 becomes a first piece of 10 and a second piece of 3.

Twenties and successive multiples of ten are treated in the same way and the board can be increased at will.

Turning to FIG. 7 the concept of a hundred is dealt with by providing the shape of a bag 20 adapted to receive ten loose pieces 21 each representing ten grapes. In the next line a barrel 22 accommodates ten bags of a hundred each to depict 1000, and so on through a truck, a garage and a nest of garages or storerooms 24 each of which depict 100,000 to give a grand total of one million.

While on the subject of arithmetic, reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 illustrate a very simple embodiment of the invention. A simple jig-saw is provided comprising a first piece 30 marked with a numeral and a second piece 32 showing the correct number of articles corresponding to the numeral. The engaging formations 34 are specific to the particular corresponding pair of pieces.

FIG. 6 relates to a board 40 on which a numeral sequence is marked and a number of loose pieces 42 are provided with factors corresponding to the various numbers. Thus, identical loose pieces marked 4+4, 2×4, 16 2, 2³, or 80 10 may all fit into the area designated by 8.

Another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5. Starting with FIG. 2 the board 50 has a depression 52 shaped as that of a clown's head.

In FIG. 3 various loose pieces are placed in the only positions possible to complete the face.

In FIG. 5, another set of loose pieces 54 are shown, each marked with the particular portion of the face. These pieces are first located in the only possible positions and then the pieces shown in FIG. 3 are superimposed thereon.

It will be appreciated that the puzzle may include three or more layers of pieces or other formations.

It will also be appreciated that an infinite variety of puzzles may be provided without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention which is claimed in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

For detailed descriptions refer to paragraph “EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION”

FIG. 1: Teaching the concepts of Numbers 0 to 29, using grapes;

FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5: Teaching basic reading skills and a great enjoyment of reading by using the face of a clown;

FIG. 6: Consolidation of understanding the concepts of number 0 to 100, and association of multiplication tables;

FIG. 7: Teaching the concept of the numbers 100 to 1 000 000;

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9: Simple embodiment of the invention in matching pairs 

I claim:
 1. A puzzle including a first item or items which include at least one formation, and one or more second items which comprise or include complemental formations, the first item or items having predetermined or preselected connotation/s, and the second item/s having relative or connective connotation/s.
 2. A puzzle according to claim 1 in which the first item comprises a board with variously shaped depressions or other formations and the second items comprise or include complemental shapes.
 3. A puzzle according to claim 2 in which the formations of the board are complemental only to formations associated or comprising a predetermined or preselected item/s.
 4. A puzzle according to claim 2 in which the depressions are marked with legends and the second items are printed with a pictorial or other representation of such legends.
 5. A puzzle substantially as described with reference to any of the drawings. 